Coalition Vows to Fight Sexual Assault, Broaden Awareness

In their first meeting of the year, members of the Coalition Against Sexual Violence vowed yesterday to raise campus awareness of rape and to confront the problems facing rape victims.

"Most of the rapes that happen here are not on the streets. They probably occur in the rooms," said Rabia S. Belt '01, one of the coalition's leaders.

The Coalition Against Sexual Violence was established last year after Harvard sophomore Joshua M. Elster was indicted for the rape and assault of a Harvard undergraduate. According to its student leaders, the Coalition seeks to improve treatment of rape victims, to promote awareness of sexual violence on campus and to advance gender equality on campus.

According to the National Victim Center, 83.7 percent of rape victims are women under age 24, and 84 percent of rapes are never reported.

Mia Bagneris '99, co-president of the Radcliffe Union of Students, emphasized the need to treat the issue of sexual violence in both a symptomatic and a structural manner.

The Coalition's most immediate goal is changing University policy concerning sexual assault on campus. Members said they want to end what they call the campus-wide silence on the subject of sexual violence.

Ana Morrel-Samuels '00 said the University is insensitive about the issue of sexual assault. She said University Health Services (UHS) is incompetent in handling rape cases.

As a long-term goal, the members said they hope to eventually change Harvard's "patriarchal" structure in favor of a more gender equal system.

Bagneris spoke of how women's groups such as RUS have been advocating the need for a centralized women's resource support center since 1984, but have seen little progress.

The coalition has four subdivisions, each aimed at tackling a different aspect of the problem.

One of the subdivisions, "U-Hall," works with the administration to promote awareness of sexual violence on campus. Despite some efforts by the administration, coalition members said they believe there is still much to be done.

Alexis B. Karteron '01 spoke out against the administration's newly implemented Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) tutor program, because she said the tutors do not receive any formal training in assisting rape victims.

Another subdivision of the Coalition Against Sexual Violence, "Subversion," works outside the system to influence University policy.

"We're designed to exert pressure on the University to be proactive in women's issues through direct action and external pressure," said Bagneris,leader of the subversion group.

The third group, "Bypassers," works onestablishing counseling for rape victims andnetworking with other outreach groups on campus.

The last group, "Long-Term," aims to establisha long-term working relationship within theUniversity. They work with alumni and students topromote campus awareness.

The Coalition members emphasized the need for acontinuing, institutionalized system for handingsexual assault on campus.

"We're working to on ways to ensure that agroup like this continues to happen," said Anna M.Baldwin '00, one of the leaders of the Coalition

The third group, "Bypassers," works onestablishing counseling for rape victims andnetworking with other outreach groups on campus.

The last group, "Long-Term," aims to establisha long-term working relationship within theUniversity. They work with alumni and students topromote campus awareness.

The Coalition members emphasized the need for acontinuing, institutionalized system for handingsexual assault on campus.

"We're working to on ways to ensure that agroup like this continues to happen," said Anna M.Baldwin '00, one of the leaders of the Coalition